Philip C. Carruthers was sworn in as a judge of the Fourth Judicial District on Oct. 17, 2011. Gov. Mark Dayton believes Carruthers will be an outstanding judge.  In announcing the appointment, he cited the real-world experience Carruthers brings to the bench, his significant ties to the community, and his demonstrated commitment to serving the people of Minnesota.

Judge Carruthers was born in London, England, and spent his early childhood in Ottawa and Montreal, Canada. His father was a physicist and worked on national defense projects for the Canadian government during the Cold War, while his mother worked as a library clerk and cared for him and his two siblings at home. When Carruthers was 9 years old, his father accepted a job at Honeywell, and the family moved to St. Anthony Village, a suburb of Minneapolis.

“I always wanted to go into government service and the law, even back then,” says Carruthers. As a student at St. Anthony Village High School, Carruthers was active in speech, debate, and theater, and also ran on the school’s track and cross-country teams.  “A teacher suggested that the law would be a good profession for me, so it was definitely something I thought about,” he remembers.  

Growing up during the 1960s, a time of enormous political, social, and cultural revolution, had a meaningful part in shaping Carruthers’ philosophies and goals as an individual and, later, as an attorney.  “I saw that people who were involved, cared about issues, and were willing to band together could change things.  It was inspiring to see that average people can make a difference,” he says.  

At the University of Minnesota, Carruthers majored in political science and minored in economics.  His interest in politics was first sparked as a young child living in Canada. When John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as president in 1961, Carruthers recalls that his father gathered the family to listen to Kennedy’s speech. “That speech was very inspiring to me. ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.’ At seven years old, I thought that was amazing,” recalls Carruthers. Kennedy’s assassination two years later further impacted Carruthers, as he saw “someone who had given his life for his commitment to public service and making a difference.”    

After finishing his undergraduate education, Carruthers went on to attend the University of Minnesota Law School, and became deeply involved in clinical work.  “In the 1970s, the law school was an important place in terms of the feminist movement, civil rights, and human rights. It was exciting to see people working on issues they cared about,” he says.  Active in the Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners clinic, Carruthers enjoyed the opportunity to advocate for individual clients, and was impacted profoundly by then-clinical professors Tom Hamlin, Philip Marron, and Jim Peterson.

Tom Hamlin, now a partner at the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, and adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law, remembers Carruthers vividly. “As a student, he was serious, intellectual, and intense. I don’t think he’s changed much,” says Hamlin. “He was a fantastic student, and was very dedicated to the clients in the clinic.  I think he’ll make a wonderful judge; he’ll be careful, measured, take his time, and get it right.”

After graduating from law school in 1979, Carruthers embarked on a rich and varied career in private practice, practicing for 21 years in the areas of criminal defense, civil litigation, and as a prosecutor for several cities in Hennepin County.  

While engaged in private practice, Carruthers also served the public as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for 14 years.  As a representative, he enacted legislation in tax and fiscal policy, government operations, civil law, and criminal justice, and he served on nine House committees.  Carruthers was elected speaker of the house in 1997, and served in that capacity until 1998.  As speaker, Carruthers worked closely with then-governor Arne Carlson and other legislators to achieve bipartisan property tax, welfare, and fiscal reforms.  

During his time as a member of the House, Carruthers particularly enjoyed interacting with constituents and working to find solutions to their problems. He also devoted considerable energy to bringing a more bipartisan approach to the House. “I really enjoyed working with both Democrats and Republicans; it was important to me to have good relationships with people of both parties,” says Carruthers.           

Carruthers began his career in the public sector in 2000 when he became director of the Prosecution Division of the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, the division prosecuting all felonies and juvenile offenses in the county.  As director, Carruthers emphasized sensitivity to victims, more effective handling of cases, and increased recognition of staff. He also initiated the Elder Abuse Unit, and helped plan and implement the Joint Domestic Abuse Prosecution Unit. In that vein, Carruthers led a successful effort to obtain $554,000 in federal grants to enhance charging and prosecution of domestic violence cases.

In 2011, Carruthers became director of the Civil Division of the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, where he oversaw all civil litigation in the county. He also served as attorney for several county departments, including Budget and Accounting, the Charter Commission, and Elections.  During that time, he worked with Ramsey County Attorney John Choi to set overall goals and policy direction for the division.

Throughout his career, Carruthers also has found time to be active in the community.  He served on the board of directors of the Brooklyn Peacemaker Program, dedicated to diverting juvenile offenders from the criminal justice system, from 1990 to 1992, and was president of the North Hennepin Mediation Program from 1999 to 2002.  He also served on the board of the West Metro Fire District, was treasurer of the Brooklyn Historical Society, and coached Little League and soccer in St. Louis Park.

Carruthers’ extensive public service has earned him numerous honors and accolades.  In 2010, he was honored with the Ramsey County Bar Association Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award, given each year to an attorney who has demonstrated exceptional professional performance, community leadership, and achievement in service. In 2002, then-dean E. Thomas Sullivan named the University of Minnesota Law School’s public interest clinic the Philip C. Carruthers Public Interest Law Clinic in recognition of his work in securing funds for the law school’s clinical programs.

“As lawyers and the judiciary, we need to be strong advocates for adequate funding of legal aid and public defense. Each of us has a responsibility to promote and contribute to programs that serve the underprivileged and those who otherwise couldn’t afford legal services,” emphasizes Carruthers. He believes that the opportunity to assist others through pro bono work is not only a solemn duty but also a unique privilege that can be tremendously rewarding.

Family is also very important to Carruthers.  He and his wife first met on a University of Minnesota Law School softball team, and were friends for years before marrying.  They reside in Minnetonka, and their combined family consists of two sons and two daughters, all of whom are excited to embark on the journey of a judge with him.

Having such a breadth of professional and personal experience is sure to serve Carruthers well on the bench. “Your entire life, you have different experiences and see different things. You bring all of those experiences to the job, and you hope that makes you a better judge,” says Carruthers.  “I think it is important to have seen sadness and disappointments, as well as victories,” he adds.

Carruthers looks forward to engaging with individuals from all walks of life as a judge.  “First and foremost, being a judge is about serving the public,” he says. When asked how he would like to be described after 10 years on the bench, Carruthers said that he hopes he will have a reputation for being fair and not pre-judging cases that come before him. “It is critically important to be open-minded and listen to all sides of the story,” he stresses.

Carruthers is deeply honored and grateful to have been appointed to the bench. “It’s very humbling,” he says. “I may be a judge, but I’m an average person just like everyone else. We are all human, and we all need to learn from and listen to each other.”  Undoubtedly, it will be a great privilege for the judiciary and Hennepin County to learn from Judge Carruthers for many years to come.